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Together they hold 20 golds at World Rowing Masters, but it is fitness and friendship which have kept these four women waking up before dawn to train for the past two decades.
Marion Elliot, Lyn Brown, Trish Carter and Julie Ann Kelly are trailblazers of the Toowong Rowing Club, overcoming what was originally a frosty reception from the men to become world champions.
They are currently in their final preparations for next month's titles in New Zealand.
Their event will be a four-minute sprint over 1,000 metres.
They are honing their technique and planning their tactics, which could claim them their next win — this time for the over 65s age group.
The rowers agree it is commitment and persistence which gets them gold.
"It's about just turning up and doing it," Elliot said.
"You've got to be prepared to get out there at least four times a week," Brown added.
But it has not always been smooth sailing for the quartet.
They began as the outsiders at the male-dominated Toowong Rowing Club nearly 20 years ago.
A cold shoulder shown in subtle ways
There was no help offered to carry the old wooden boats, which were often stored out of their reach, nor were there women's dressing rooms.
"When we started the men would say, 'if you cannot lift your boat to put it in and out of the water, then don't do it'," Elliot said.
"There was one gentleman in the club who would call us the old boilers.
"He was very stick in the mud, old school.
"He has mellowed over time and we can now laugh about it."
The women were eventually helped by a volunteer coach and they started claiming titles soon after they started training together.
That was when the men, and other coaches, started to take notice.
"I wouldn't say we weren't welcome, but they didn't make it very easy for us to row," Carter said.
"But once they saw we were capable, we got more assistance with the training side of it."
Brown added: "The culture is very different now in the shed. There is no animosity."
In fact, the sexes have built a sense of camaraderie which has seen the club become one of the most successful nationally.
A group breakfast on Saturdays in particular has helped bridge the gap.
"We still have to bring the plates, unfortunately," Carter said with a laugh, adding though that some of the men now washed up.
Rowing keeps them young
Brown, Carter, and Kelly were introduced to the sport through their children.
They have outlasted their kids in their passion.
The weekday morning ritual has helped the women cope with divorce, ageing parents, becoming empty nesters and stressful careers such as nursing, construction and accounting.
They believe rowing will keep them younger longer — not to mention looking good.
"We are going to test it, to see how high we can go [in age in the Masters competition]," Kelly said.
Carter added: "Basically it will be health concerns which will ever stop us.
"We would like to fall over out of the boat.
"If we had to die in the boat it will be as good as anywhere."
Topics: rowing, sport, health, feminism, community-and-society, older-people, toowong-4066, qld, brisbane-4000
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